Memminger celebrates National Bully Prevention Month #empathyforall

CHARLESTON COUNTY, SC – Memminger Elementary School of Global Studies is celebrating National Bully Prevention Month by capturing Compassion in Action, #Empathyforall.

Memminger is the only elementary school in its second implementation year to teach a school-wide social and emotional learning curriculum.  The research-based, data driven program is taught in grades CD3 to 5th grade and is designed to increase students’ social success and decrease problem behaviors by promoting social-emotional competence and self regulation.

The five social competencies taught are identified by Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL), the nation’s leading organization advancing the development of academic, social and emotional competence for all students. Their mission is to help make evidence-based social and emotional learning (SEL) an integral part of education from preschool through high school. Through research, practice and policy, CASEL collaborates to ensure all students become knowledgeable, responsible, caring and contributing members of society.

The five competencies are taught are:

• Self-awareness: The ability to accurately recognize one’s emotions and thoughts and their influence on behavior. This includes accurately assessing one’s strengths and limitations and possessing a well-grounded sense of confidence and optimism.
• Self-management: The ability to regulate one’s emotions, thoughts, and behaviors effectively in different situations. This includes managing stress, controlling impulses, motivating oneself, and setting and working toward achieving personal and academic goals.
• Social awareness: The ability to take the perspective of and empathize with others from diverse backgrounds and cultures, to understand social and ethical norms for behavior, and to recognize family, school, and community resources and supports.
• Relationship skills: The ability to establish and maintain healthy and rewarding relationships with diverse individuals and groups. This includes communicating clearly, listening actively, cooperating, resisting inappropriate social pressure, negotiating conflict constructively, and seeking and offering help when needed.
• Responsible decision making: The ability to make constructive and respectful choices about personal behavior and social interactions based on consideration of ethical standards, safety concerns, social norms, the realistic evaluation of consequences of various actions, and the well-being of self and others.

Social awareness helps students develop the ability to have empathy for others, looking at situations from their point of view, being aware of another person’s feelings, and having the ability to “walk in their shoes.”  Students with higher levels of empathy and its related skills are more likely to be:

• Academically successful
• Accepted by peers
• Socially skilled
• Less aggressive
• Emotionally supportive by others

Empathy is feeling or understanding what someone else is feeling.  Memminger uses this important social skill to prevent bullying and problem solve when an issue arises.

“Empathy and other social skills such as skills for learning, emotion management, and problem solving are not just taught on Mondays at 8:30.  It’s the foundation for everything we do at Memminger.  If our students cannot self regulate, problem solve, and be compassionate they will not be ready to learn.” Dr. Abigail Woods, Memminger Principal

Social and emotional skills are life skills.  Research suggests that the more children become aware of themselves, the better they become at understanding others. This is a crucial element when educating the whole child.  Helping students focus, problem-solve on their own, self talk, and have empathy benefit in the classroom, but also life.” Heather Anderson, school counselor.

Memminger faculty and staff are catching their students putting compassion into action, #empathyforall.

For more information on how social and emotional skills are being implemented and the data-driven research behind SEL, please contact Heather Anderson, Memminger school counselor (843-724-7778.)

About the Charleston County School District Charleston County School District (CCSD) is the second largest school system in South Carolina representing a unique blend of urban, suburban, and rural schools that span 1,000 square miles along the coast. CCSD serves more than 50,000 students in 86 schools and several specialized programs. With approximately 6,100 employees district-wide, CCSD is the fourth largest employer in the region. CCSD offers a diverse, expanding portfolio of options and specialized programs, delivered through neighborhood, charter, magnet, IB (international baccalaureate), and Montessori schools, and is divided into three Learning Communities led by associate superintendents. Options include specialized programs in science, engineering and mathematics; liberal arts; music and other creative and performing arts; career and technical preparation programs; and military and other public service enterprises.